It's a common myth that creative genius comes naturally—Beethoven just understood music, Michelangelo magically knew how to paint, Denzel Washington was born ready to act. But the truth is, talent takes time. Workshopping ideas, experimenting, sketching and planning, surviving setbacks, experiencing moments of inspiration—these are all part of the job. In honor of Women’s History Month, WIRED asked four women photographers to demystify this process by telling us about their most challenging image.
These interviews have been edited for brevity and clarity.
Jasmine Clarke
Photographer, Brooklyn
WIRED: Tell us about the photograph you chose.
Jasmine Clarke: “Monty and Zoraya” is a photograph of my dad and sister in Jamaica, where my dad is from. I wanted to create a portrait that reveals very little about the subjects but still resonates emotionally. I wanted the image to feel warm and inviting, yet maintain a level of privacy.
Why do you consider it your most challenging photograph?
I had a clear idea of how I wanted the image to look but was unsure if I could make my vision a reality. Creating an image—setting out with a visual plan—tends to be more difficult for me than happening upon a photograph. Also, photographing your family is always a challenge.
Do you have any advice for artists who might find themselves stuck or unsure of how to proceed with their work?
Keep a process journal—write down all your frustrations, fears, and concerns. Then set the journal aside and take some pictures. Try to separate the creator from the critic. For me, it’s nearly impossible to make work if I’m overanalyzing every picture I take. That can happen later in the process.
Felicity Hammond
Mixed-media artist, London
WIRED: Tell us about the photograph you chose.
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Felicity Hammond: “In Defence of Industry” was the outcome of a commission that I undertook for Signal Film and Media in Barrow-in-Furness in the north of England. It brought into focus the relationship between the history of the town and the wider landscape, in particular the area’s mining history and the subsequent shift toward the nuclear industry during the mid-20th century. Cutting to the heart of the continuing political issues surrounding the impact of the nuclear industry—in the town best known for being the place where Trident submarines are built—the work raises themes around defense, secrecy, and the unseen earth below the surface.
Why do you consider it your most challenging photograph?
It was a landscape I had never visited before, and I was aware of the implications of artists responding to and taking from an environment that they do not consider part of their own. The work emerged over the course of many visits and through the building of relationships with local groups and those that commissioned the work, which itself was insightful and challenging. I have also been reflecting on this work more recently; the devastating events of the last few weeks have brought me back to this image where I can’t help but think of the power and violence that is held in the industries that support weapon-building.
How does challenge, or even failure, fit into your practice as an artist?
Failure is a big part of making. Many of my works involve material processes that we might not ordinarily associate with photography, and therefore testing and failing becomes a part of my making process. I also exhibit my photographic works within expanded installations, which come with their own set of challenges. When I exhibited “In Defence of Industry” in Barrow-in-Furness, I used water in my work for the first time. The commissioners supported my ideas of creating a huge 10-meter-long pool with the photographic collage printed onto a lightbox, reflecting on the water. This felt really ambitious and exciting to make and certainly involved trial and error and challenging processes.
Cheril Sanchez
Photographer, Brooklyn
WIRED: Tell us about the photograph you chose.
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Cheril Sanchez: I made this photo last year during the Puerto Rican Day parade when my roommates invited me out to partake in the day's activities. I decided to bring my camera and photograph my encounters, resulting in some of my favorite images to date. While walking, we encountered this man, in all his Puerto Rican pride, blasting salsa from his speakers. His presence was so energetic and welcoming that I had to stop him and take his photograph.
How has this image influenced or changed the way you have approached your work since then?
This photo made me embrace discomfort and fear when it comes to creating. Instead of obsessing over the results, I learned to bask in the process and trust that no matter how little planning is involved, your creations can be equally beautiful. Embracing the resistance that naturally occurs when fear of failing is involved can teach you so much about yourself. One of the challenges I often face is being overly critical of my work. But moments like this remind me that while the photos I create are important, my mentality and feelings when creating hold more value.
Assuming that being challenged is a generative process for you, how do you hope to be challenged as a photographer in the future?
The communication between a photographer and their subject is both challenging and incredibly important. I want to develop this more by photographing individuals who aren’t used to being in front of a camera.
Rozette Rago
Photographer, Sacramento and Los Angeles
WIRED: Tell us about the photograph you chose.
Rozette Rago: This is a photograph of me and my best friends that I worked on for a project last year about finding love in a time of hate. When the photo was taken, we had all been working from home and isolating for over a year. Three of my friends lived in the same house, and our lives began to revolve around their living room. I was going through a rough divorce, and for months I would post up in their living room with my laptop while my friend Michael worked out on his Peloton or my friend Neil tended to his houseplants by the window. We watched the election results in that living room. We spent hours playing music on shuffle while we sat around eating snacks and wondering when we could go outside again. Greg, who lived a few minutes away, would drop by at night after work. I was living at my best friend Ericke's studio apartment at the time and she would come pick me up from the house. For that long, strange time, that living room was our world.
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Why do you consider it your most challenging photograph?
It was such an emotional time for everyone. I was fatigued by all the news coming from different parts of the world, and the project was essentially about hope. I was in an angry and exhausted mental headspace, but working on this project forced me to sit down and think about the things in my life that I am grateful for. I also felt a deep sense of responsibility involving the most important people in my life in this. These are my people and this is where I feel safe. I wanted to be able to honestly portray what they meant to me and how much happiness they bring to my life.
What is a challenge you come up against often in your work?
Being an editorial photographer for most of my career, I don't usually have the luxury of time. Now that I’m diving into long-term personal projects, I’ve had to learn to sit still and basically try to do the opposite of what I’ve always done before. When I see this image now, it makes me emotional. That's important. That's what I seek out as I work on my projects. Am I being genuine with this photograph and am I going to feel that a year from now? I have to care about more than just creating an aesthetically pretty image. I also have to keep my imposter syndrome at bay. The question in my brain is often, “Am I the right person to be telling this story?” I've been given so many incredible opportunities in my career and I find it hard to believe I'm worthy of them. This is something I've gotten better at dealing with, but it's always there. I'm learning to trust myself and my instincts more.
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